Best of H.T. Webster : a memorial collection

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UNIVERSITY
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LIBRARIES

Architecture and Fine Arts
Library

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Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2011 with funding from

LYRASIS IVIembers and Sloan Foundation

http://www.archive.org/details/bestofhtwebstermOOwebs

THE BEST OF

H.t. WEBSTER

A Memorial Collection

With a Preface by
ROBERT E. SHERWOOD

AND

A Biographical Sketch by
PHILO CALHOUN

/i

Simon and Schuster • New York

1953

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLB^NG THE RIGHT OF REPRODUCTION ^ ^

IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN ANY FORM

COPYRIGHT, I914 TO I953, INCLUSIVE, BY THE NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE, INC.

PUBLISHED BY SIMON AND SCHUSTER, INC.

ROCKEFELLER CENTER, 63O FIFTH AVENUE

NEW YORK 20, N. Y.

FIRST PRINTING

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ARCH, a
FINE ART$
UBflARY

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER 53-9691

MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
LITHOGRAPHED BY THE MURRAY PRINTING COMPANY, WAKEFIELD, MASS.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION by Robert E. Sherwood 7

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH by Pliilo CaUioim 9

I THREE CARICATURES OF H.T.W. 14

II EARLY POLITICAL CARTOONS 18

III THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME 24
and LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT-

IV OUR BOYHOOD AMBITIONS 98
and THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD

V DOGS 110

VI POKER PORTRAITS 120
and BRIDGE

VII THE TIMID SOUL 158

VIII HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE 186
and HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

IX THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE 210

X FISHING 234

XI MISCELLANY 242

XII LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 252

BIBLIOGRAPHY 255

Introduction

BY

ROBERT E. SHERWOOD

O,

'n April 4, 1953, the last new drawing by H. T.
Webster was published in the New York Herald
Tribune and a hundred and twenty-five other
papers, and for many of us, millions and millions
of us timid souls, this day was marked as one of
life's darkest moments. There will be other fine
artist-cartoonist-critics to inspire us with joy or
indignation from day to day, but never another to
span the years and the range of human emotions in
the same extraordinary way that Webby did.

We therefore welcome this book containing
some two hundred and fifty reminders of the fact
that this tall, friendly, humble artist belongs in the
highest traditions of American humor. He belongs
with Ring Lardner, Will Rogers, George Ade,
Finley Peter Dunne, Kin Hubbard, Heywood
Broun, Montague Glass — yes, and with Mark
Twain and Abe Lincoln.

It has often been assumed that the best of
American humor came from the genial, homey,
cracker-barrel school, as contrasted with the pol-
ished, rapier-tipped wit of the English, or the devi-
ous double-entendres of the French. Nothing
coidd be more nonsensical. The distinguishing
quality of our humor is its bite, its capacity to in-
flict wounds, to wield the meat axe or the whip.
I remember that when Will Rogers met the death
which he had so often courted— an airplane crash
while pioneering new Arctic trails with Wiley Post
—some pompous politician arose to pay tribute to
Will, saying, "His humor was always kindly. He
never said or wrote anything that hurt anyone."

Having known and loved Will Rogers, I am sure
that if he thought this "eulogy" were true — if his
frequent, bitter jibes at phonies, charlatans, stuffed
shirts (including the Very politician who uttered
the libel) had failed to hit their targets and hurt
them — he would be furious, he would feel that the
best cracks of his career had been in vain.

Similarly, it would be deeply depressing to the
admirers of H. T. Webster to learn that the mem-
bers of the Ku Klux Klan dismissed his comments
on this gruesome subject (an example appears on
page 20) as merely liarmless, good-natured spoof-
ing.

One does not need to look to such violent exam-
ples as this one, or to the profoundly funny and
pitiful commentary on the "liberation" of 1944
provided in the drawing called "Collaborationist"
(page 1 1 1 )to observe the iron that was in Webby's
gentle soul. One may look to the snow-bound little
dog and his frantic tracks (page 116) while his
complacent masters are sunning themselves on a
tropical beach, or to the superbly savage blast at
"give-away" programs (page 213). There was
probably not one of "The Unseen Audience" car-
toons that did not offend or irritate somebody in
the radio industry, nor can there be widespread
disagreement that the victim in each case deserved
to be offended and irritated, at the very least.

Webster denounced Wives, as a class, in "And
There's Nothing You Can Do about It," and he
excoriated Husbands, as a class, in "How To Tor-
ture Your Wife."

INTRODUCTION

In his admirable introduction to this book,
Philo Calhoun (one of Webby's closest friends)
points out that the artist's favorite target was him-
self, that his portraiture of the ineffable and im-
mortal Caspar Milquetoast was sheer autobiog-
raphy. That is unquestionably true, but Webby
was also providing a revealing mirror for all the
rest of us, with the exception of those unfortunates
who live in a Hitleresque dream world of self-
delusion and who fancy they are not impressed by
signs that say "No Loitering."

In identifying himself with Mr. Milquetoast,
Webby was aligning himself on the side of the
Angels, he was standing up as one of the Pushed
as opposed to the Pushers. He was our champion.

I first came to know Webby around about 1925
when I was Editor of Life (now always referred to
as the old Lifej. We were putting together the big
Christmas Number, and we thought it would be a
great prize to have a contribution by H . T. Web-
ster, who was attracting considerable attention
with his cartoons in the New York World (this
was the heyday of that memorable newspaper
under Herbert Bayard Swope). Our Art Editor,
Frank Casey, knew Webby and brought him to the

office, but the artist was discouragingly diffident,
he felt that his poor efforts could not compete in
the fast company of a magazine that was published
by Charles Dana Gibson; besides, he said, he
didn't have an idea in his head. When he left, I was
sure that we'd have nothing from him. But the
next day he returned with a drawing which he un-
wrapped and offered, apologetically. He said,
"Don't worry — if you don't like it, I can probably
use it for the daily stuff." It showed a dismal news-
paper office on Christmas. A haggard, jaded City
Editor was giving an assignment to a callow re-
porter: "Go uptown and interview some of the
poor devils who have to work and can't have din-
ner with their families today. Write a good sob
story, about a column and a half. On your way
back you might stop at a lunch wagon and get half
a dozen hot dogs. Have 'em put on plenty of mus-
tard. I won't be able to leave the shop all day."

I still have the reproduction we proudly made
of that wonderful drawing.

Webby had a huge heart as well as a sharp bite.
When you have known someone like him, you
want to remember him and the contributions that
he made to the art of living.

Biographical Sketch

BY

PHILO CALHOUN

H,

arold Tucker Webster was the name he got
from his parents back in 1885 when he was bom
in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He always hated
his first name, fought his way out of it in his teens,
and has been "Webby" to his friends ever since.
Coohsh about even the last syllable of this harm-
less nickname, suspecting it might be a touch on
the cute side, he always signed letters "Web," and
drawings "Webster."

Webby had not yet reached his teens when the
family moved to a small Wisconsin town which
rejoiced (and still does) in the name of Toma-
hawk. George Ade said it was once on the map in
pencil, but "some fresh drummer rubbed it out."

His father set up a drugstore there and Webby
grew up rapidly into what O. O. Mclntyre de-
scribed as "an earnest, hard-working, gum-chew-
ing freckled-faced boy." His school record was
not distinguished. Even in drawing, he refused to
hold his pencil as directed in Prang's Improved
Drawing Course, spent his time making caricatures
of the teacher, succeeded in getting the lowest
mark in the class. Out of school hours he worked
in the local brickyards, drove a grocery wagon,
hustled freight at the railroad station, fished the
neighborhood streams, read Mark Twain, drew
endless sketches of everything and everybody.

A boy who worked in the harness shop at
Tomahawk boasted that when he grew up he was
going to sell horse collars set with diamonds to Mr.
Vanderbilt. "An' Harold Webster is gonna draw
little pictures."

"Little pictures!" retorted Harold; "I'm gonna
draw big pictures! So big a million people can
see 'em at once. I betcha million dollars I do!"

When Webby told the story many years later
his cartoons were appearing in one hundred
twenty-six dailies and his "Timid Soul" series in

a score of Sunday papers, of a combined circula-
tion of upwards of nearly twelve million copies.
They were indeed "big enough" for a million
people to see all at once. Said he; "If that boy
really did sell those diamond horse collars, maybe
I ought to collect."

At seventeen, Webby left Tomahawk for
Chicago. He enrolled in Frank Holmes' School of
Illustration. Twenty days later the school folded.
This was all the art education Webster ever had
except an earlier correspondence school course
which he said he finished only because he had
paid for it — in advance.

He drifted out to Denver, got some kind of a
job with the Republican, quickly shifted to the
Post when he was offered fifteen dollars a week
as a sports-page cartoonist. "I knew it was more
than I was worth," said he, "and was more than
I could possibly spend, but I had to keep up the
dignity of the profession." He held the job for two
months and quit "just in time to avoid being fired."

Back to Chicago again, and some dreary weeks
of job hunting before he landed a position with the
Chicago Daily News where he worked for two
years. His next move was to the Chicago Inter-
Ocean, where his political cartoons began to at-
tract attention. Before long they became a front-
page feature and were apparently caustic enough
to have inspired a bill in the state legislature pro-
hibiting cartoonists from making pictures uncom-
plimentary to Senators and Representatives. It
didn't pass, and the pictures continued.

It was during this period that Webby received
what he always maintained was his greatest com-
pliment. A man on an Elgin electric train went
into convulsions (literally) over one of his car-
toons about the Chicago School Board and was
carried off the train to a hospital in a critical con-

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

dition. Someone asked Webby whether the con-
vulsions were caused by laughter or wrath, and
Webby replied that it didn't matter; it was the
violence of the reaction which warmed his heart.

About 1908 Webby joined the art staff of the
Cincinnati Post, where he stayed until 191 1, when
he started on his great adventure — a trip around
the world. He was gone the better part of a year.
Financially, the trip was a flop. Receipts from
illustrated travel sketches did not even pay ex-
penses. There were compensations of another
sort, however, of which he became increasingly
aware as the years passed. No one could take from
him the memory of a trip up the Yangtse River in
China with George Dorsey, author of Why We
Behave Like Human Beings, then Curator of the
Field Museum in Chicago. This adventure took
the two young men nearly to the Tibet border,
through a part of China in which no white man
had ever been seen within the memory of the
oldest inhabitant. At one point a flooded river
nearly brought a quick end to Webby's career.
Years afterward he could bring to life in a few
sentences the horde of villagers standing on the
river banks hopefully waiting for the foreign
devils to drown.

Webby gained much from these months of the
only real education he had ever known. He started
out a boy and returned a man, mature in his think-
ing, adept in his art, broadened as only a highly
sensitive personality can be broadened, by the im-
pact of many cultures and many people.

Nothing less than New York would satisfy his
growing ambitions at this point, and there he
landed, almost down to his last hundred dollars,
but fortified by a sturdy confidence in a talent
which he knew was now worth a price.

For eight years he worked for a newspaper
syndicate, doing political cartoons, and other
drawings, including the series which he then called
"Our Boyhood Thrills," and which delighted a
later generation under the improved caption "The
Thrill that Comes Once in a Life-Time." In 1915
George H. Doran Company published the first
collection of his drawings in a book entitled "Our
Boyhood Thrills and Other Cartoons."

One has only to look back forty years in the old

files of America's foremost humorous journals to
appreciate what crude and primitive fun-makers
our grandfathers were. It was a commonplace to
lampoon the Irish, the Jews and the Negroes in
childish and cruel caricature. The mother-in-law
joke was still going strong and the endless pranks
of the Katzenjammer Kids were a Sunday dinner
conversation piece. Webster's humor had a flatter-
ing subtlety, a robust geniality and a nostalgic
warmth which appealed to many who were frankly
bored with the slapstick pattern of the current
funny men. Webby was bringing his art into higher
levels of good taste, and nice people, who wouldn't
allow an average, so-called "funny paper" in their
homes, were laughing and remembering what they
laughed at. Men began referring to him as "the
Mark Twain of American cartoonists," and no
accolade could have been more exact, or could
have better pleased a man who knew Tom Sawyer
and Huckleberry Finn almost by heart, and who
all his life thought of Twain in terms little short of
idolatry.

A boy barely out of his teens, Webby once drew
a pen sketch of Mark Twain and sent it to him.
Mr. Clemens' acknowledgment, to the effect that
he thought the likeness "striking," was framed
with his photograph and hung in a conspicuous
place on the wall of Webster's living room to the
day of his death. And it didn't spoil his pleasure a
bit when the author wrote to a friend : "This morn-
ing I have received another heart-breaker. It
comes from Webster of the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
You will see yourself that it is too exact. This kind
of accuracy, continued long enough, can ruin a
man who is constructed as I am. I want to be
pretty. I want to eliminate facts and fill up the gap
with charm."

During the middle teens of the century, Webster
had rooms in New York with R. N. Brickerhoff,
cartoonist and illustrator, a product of Toledo,
Ohio, and Ray Rohn, another artist of Ohio back-
ground. They called themselves "The Ohio Wom-
an Haters' Club." Webby lost some caste with his
fellow-members on one occasion when Lillian
Russell rather publicly dubbed him "that Greek
God, Webster," but was beginning to live it down
when a young lady named Ethel Worts turned up

10

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

in New York. Ethel hailed from Toledo and had
come to town to study at Columbia and take some
lessons in folk-dancing. Her fellow-townsman
Brickerhoff persuaded his colleagues that the least
they could do was to give her a cup of tea. Two
weeks later, "after giving the matter profound
thought," Webby drove her to the Little Church
around the Corner, where they were married on
August 2, 1916. There is a legend that part of the
honeymoon was spent touring the country with
Ringling Brothers" Circus — Ethel riding an ele-
phant, and Webby doing a trick with the clowns.
Anyway, they lived together peacefully and com-
panionably for over thirty-six years.

During World War I Webby had charge of the
cartoonists" section of the Division of Pictorial
Publicity, which was a useful cog in the Liberty
Bond sales organization. The favorite of his own
drawings made for this cause showed a couple of
eight-year-olds, one dressed in the height of fash-
ion and guided by a proper governess, listening
with solemn helplessness to the other, a ragged,
grinning little gamin who gibes pridefully: "My Pa
he bought a Libity bond he did." The caption:
"The Beginnings of Caste."

In 1920, a drawing he made for the old Life
showed a silly-looking Republican elephant in a
nightgown kneeling beside a trundlebed. It was
entitled: "If I should die before I wake,"" and was
published shortly before the convention which
nominated Warren G. Harding. It caught the eye
of that old Democratic war-horse, William J.
Bryan, who used it as the text for a political article.
Webby referred to it as Bryan's "sermon." He
didn't like it and felt that the cartoon must have
misfired somewhere. He didn't like Bryan, either.

In 1919, Webster commenced his long associa-
tion with the New York Herald Tribune. Except
for a seven-year stretch with the New York World,
which ended shortly before it suspended publica-
tion in 1931, Webby worked for the "Trib"' and its
syndicate for the rest of his life.

In this period he abandoned political cartoon-
ing almost entirely and was producing a succession
of series drawings, each centered around some
basic theme and pointed up by a catchy group
title. Most of them lasted for years; at least three of

them lived on for a generation or more. Death or
suspended animation was due only to malnutri-
tion. I can"t think of any which succumbed to the
deadly virus of a listless public.

"The Thrill That Comes Once in a Lifetime"
and "Life's Darkest Moment," originally appear-
ing under other captions, were the earliest of these
and had the longest continuous run. "Poker Por-
traits" was always popular, but trailed off in the
twenties, when Webby gave up poker for bridge.
"They Don't Speak Our Language" and "Our
Boyhood Ambitions" were almost automatically
short-lived, because occupations which develop a
specialized slang are not unlimited, and neither
are the dreams of potentially famous adolescents.
"Events Leading Up to the Tragedy," "The Be-
ginnings of a Beautiful Friendship," "The Boy
Who Made Good," "The Man in the Brown
Derby," "And Nothing Can Be Done About It,"
and "Are You Listening?" were each a vital part
of American life at intervals in the three decades
following World War I. "How To Torture Your
Husband (or Wife)" and "Trailer Tintypes" were
late products. The last of all was "The Unseen
Audience," hilarious satire on radio and televi-
sion, which won him the Peabody Award in 1948.
for distinguished service to radio.

Your dyed-in-the-wool Webster fan, like a Sher-
lock Holmes addict, or like me. is hard to persuade
that any part of this tremendously versatile prod-
uct is less workmanlike or indeed less amusing
than any other. Each drawing is better than the
last, and in the mass they have acquired an almost
canonical sanctity in which priorities and prefer-
ments are scarcely to be recognized, except pos-
sibly in the two famous Lincoln's Birthday car-
toons of 1918 and 1940. If your individuality must
assert itself to the point of playing other favorites,
then you had better cast a vote for the meek little
man whom Webby created and named, and in
whose person he poked endless fun at no less than
H. T Webster himself. Not that they looked alike.
Webby was well over six feet tall and big in pro-
portion, with a pink face, a lot of unruly white
hair, a quiet, deep voice and a perfectly respect-
able chin. However, like Caspar, he had a pro-
found respect for authority, and that included

11

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

traffic signs, Canadian guides, investment counsel,
weather reports, gas station attendants, peppery
old ladies and income tax agents. I'm quite sure he
was not lacking in physical courage, but he com-
bined an almost hypersensitive consideration for
the other fellow's feelings with an inherent distaste
for rows, and there resulted a cautious approach
to many normal situations, an almost naive confi-
dence in People Who Knew What They Were
Talking About, which reached its ultimate joyous
absurdity in Caspar Milquetoast.

Mr. Milquetoast first appeared as the unnamed
hero of a cartoon in the New York World in 1924.
It was several weeks before a second drawing in
the series saw the light, and another month or two
later a third picture introduced the little gentleman
for the first time by the name which was to become
a household word all over the world. Seven years
later, Simon and Schuster published a collection
of these cartoons in book form, and Webby lived
to see the word "milquetoast" listed and defined in
a standard dictionary.

Many of Caspar's experiences closely paralleled
incidents in the day-to-day life of his artistic pro-
genitor. Caspar had trouble with his car, his pipe,
his golf, his fishing and his opinionated friends. So
did H.T W. himself. Webby loved to drive, but
couldn't change a tire. He was an inveterate pipe-
smoker, but the pipe had to be of a certain shape
and the tobacco was made up specially on a per-
sonal formula. For several years he was a member
of the Artist's and Writer's Golf Association, an
outfit which arranged fantastic winter excursions
to remote tropical golf links, and Webby tried con-
scientiously to justify his connection with this lusty
group by learning the game. I doubt if he ever
broke 100, but he taught Caspar to play, too, in
dozens of hilarious golfing pictures.

Mr. Milquetoast took up fishing about the same
time Webby did, -sometime in the late twenties.
The Websters had moved to a spacious house near
the shore at Stamford, Connecticut, and had
adopted as their family physician Dr. D. A. Sham-
baugh, who had offices in a nearby town. This was
the "Doc" in scores of fishing and bridge pictures,
and it was he who introduced Webby to fly-fishing
for Atlantic salmon. For years Webby would come

up from Florida about the middle of April, to be
sure of being on time for the inevitable telegram
from Jack Russell, who ran the camp, that the
ice was breaking up on the Mirimachi.

Four was the required personnel on these trips,
because Webby had succumbed in a big way to the
fascination of the bridge game, and long evenings
at the card table were an essential part of the fun.
The foursome finally crystallized into Webby,
"Doc," Judge Webb of Fairfield and myself. For
years we played every Tuesday during the months
Webby lived north, and the same crowd arranged
a week or two at Webby's house in Palm Beach
sometime in the winter.

But card games and fishing, much as he enjoyed
them, were, after all, only recreational sidelines.
His great pleasure in life was people, and he at-
tracted them in droves. It was an unforgettable
experience to be in any gathering with him and to
see how, without self-assertion or effort, his corner
gradually became the center of the room. Webby's
voracious reading, his wide contacts and his in-
stinctive good manners had combined to make him
a person of stature and consequence, entirely apart
from his particular talent.

I have never known anyone with so many
friends. Modest almost to a fault, he had a healthy
aversion to pushing or climbing or intruding,
but invitations to everything from neighborhood
luncheons to fishing parties in Scotland seemed to
pour in from everywhere. Wealth or position, race
or creed, had no place in his own selective process.
I have heard him talk politics and history with
ambassadors and with gas-station attendants. It
was just as much fun for him to swap fishing yarns
with a Maine guide as with the editor of a nation-
ally known sports journal. He played bridge with
Charles Goren or with my youngest boy with the
same zest and the same courtesy. Restraint and
sincerity were the keys to his respect, and to even
a moderate degree of intelligence and a flicker of
humor he was generously responsive.

Webby never would make a speech in public
and steadfastly refused to appear on television.
He was heard on radio only once — a transcribed
interview. For many years no one but his close
friends knew of an acute arthritis which in 1927

12

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

cost him the use of his right hand. In three months
he trained himself not only to write, but to draw,
left-handed.

A few years ago the late Governor McCon-
naughy of Connecticut appointed him to the Gov-
ernor's staff with the rank of Colonel. Webby was
flattered and pleased at first, but became terrified
when the Adjutant wrote, requesting measure-
ments for a uniform. Webby never sent them. For
two years he stayed in Florida an extra fortnight,
until he was "sure the military season was over."

You wouldn't have to be with Webby very long
to be conscious of how genuinely kind he was. You
would probably never be told, for instance, that
he never took a cent of the proceeds from the sale
of original drawings (they all went to the Herald
Tribune Fresh Air Fund), or that he financed
some needy youngster for a college education. But
you couldn't avoid being warmed by the succes-
sion of little thoughtful things which added up to
as near a perfect score in human relations as it has
been my privilege to see.

I remember on one of our fishing trips, a case of
ale was stolen from our cabin. Someone else re-
ported it, and the culprit, one of the guides, was
caught and fired. Webby heard that he was the sole

support of his mother. Nothing would do but he
must hunt up the old lady, tell her he was sorry it
happened, and give her enough to tide her over
until the boy got another job.

I wish there were space to speak of particular
drawings which will live as long as American home
life retains its inimitable pattern. Most of them are
included in this collection. Only when Abraham
Lincoln and Tom Sawyer become dated, only
when little boys no longer love little dogs, and men
and women have no time or inclination to some-
times laugh at themselves, will H. T. Webster have
lost the power to brighten our days and warm our
hearts.

Webby died last fall, in a way which he might
have chosen himself, had the choice been his. It
was sudden, at the end of a happy week end with
his old friends. It was at a time when age had not
dimmed his view of life or his talent for expressing
it. He would have sought no sounding epitaph,
but I think he might have been content with what
a great critic once said about Joseph Addison:
"His tone is never that of a clown or of a cynic.
It is that of a gentleman, in whom the quickest
sense of the ridiculous is constantly tempered by
good nature and good breeding."

13

I

Three Caricatures of H. T. W.

Drawn at various times by himself.

14

CARICATURES OF H.T.W.

5EVE1^AL OF US
CHERISHED THE" AMie>moH

To BE Charles DANA Gibson's

OFFtCEl E)OV
WHAT WAS VOUR.S ?

(Copyright, i9i5, by H. T. Webster.)

CARICATURES OF H.T.W.

COPR, 1923 (N. Y. WOHLD), PRESS PUB. CO.

16

CARICATURES OF H.T.W.

"TRVINS To THIMK OF^ 50^^eTHiMO-_

FUMrny ABOUT Pdkeie- NA/He"^ Vou^vt
BEEM HO<9K.eP F0(^*I5"0 THE MI&HT /i-

BEFORE

Copyngkl P,c„ Pub|„h,„, C« (Ntw York World) 1927

ii«

.'t

17

II

Early Political Cartoons

Webster began political cartooning for the Chicago Inter-Ocean about
1908, but did little of it after 1919 when he joined the Herald Tribune
Staff. He was normally a Republican; left the fold once, and temporarily,
because of a personal liking for Al Smith.

EARLY POLITICAL CARTOONS

GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE NEW BABY

19

EARLY POLITICAL CARTOONS

20

EARLY POLITICAL CARTOONS

ANOTHER STRAY PUP

21

EARLY POLITICAL CARTOONS

II • i • •

'/r>. ' ii-^^" '

T /'!//"v-.-

Ji""/

Copyright. 1918. by H. T Webster

ALL OF US WAR GARDENERS KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, WILHELM

22

EARLY POLITICAL CARTOONS

THE PROHIBITIONIST FINDS A HORRID OLD DANDELION ON THIS ESTATE AND
WALKS HALF A MILE TO BURN IT IN THE KITCHEN STOVE

23

Ill

The Thrill That Comes
Once in a Lifetime

and

Life's Darkest Moment

These two series had the longest continuous runs of all the Webster
cartoons. Both titles were first used in the New York Globe about 1911.
In the early days they were purely "kid pictures"; one started as "Our
Boyhood Thrills" and the other developed from "Little Tragedies of
Childhood," which dated from Webster's Cincinnati Post days. A collec-
tion of them (his first book) was published by The George H. Doran
Company in 1915. Later both series included many other subjects; both
are still going strong, months after Webster's death.

24

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

25

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

SAFe AND <^

^i(''''/

Ol^-40-*< > TKiftoMG. *wc

26

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

27

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

The 3oy who shoppgd /vjd

SHOPPeD /NMD eve/viTUALLY
FOUMD TH<E P^RFe-CT CHRI5TA1AS
FRESENT For HIS MoTlHeR

dpyright. 1»46, Nt* Yo/t HgroM Tribgrtt Inc.

i2-ia-

W'^

28

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

29

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

30

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

31

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

/»

Va k/m say
Ya k<etch^o

(F Ya vjanta

rfte r/S/-/eRAlAMS FIR.ST
T^MPYAT'lOM To VA/AMDeR
FROA^ COLO ^ HARD FACT

<ih

(S)'*?^^ • *^ V-Tatftc/wC ."C.

^«(7

32

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIM]

33

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

WALKING HOME l^Ro^

Tne Post offvcc with
A PERFUMeD LerreR

FRO^^ THe ON/e AND ONiL-V

©l<>m- M- V Tre.l&UKie IMC

'": .s~A>}

34

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

35

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

-Tne ONJLY WOMAAJ

©1936. Nf.-'. TrrtffxJME. if^C.

36

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

37

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

The- boy who Took:
AL.L. HIS ToVS To 3eD
VJiTH Hl^

^''■^^^'^^///^fiUul

1937 N.y.Treiao>o6.i>JC.

38

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

LOVE /^"T FIRST SIGHT

Q 193-7 M y.TrtiPUvJg.'HC

39

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

The kind of luxury that

BRINGS ON RevOL-UTIOMS

\ I //

®n.

i#ife«ir;>»^

l<H5- - -f T-g.t^u-t.

40

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

41

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

THe ^cSroF ALL FbSSlBLE Va^orlDS

oM^ oFffiose f^ewii^MO Ft)weRFuL eicvcLe
laa^ps with sioe lishTvSof gregn /^nd Reo^ av
Njew T£>e eLi PS, aj^w TuRTLt ajcck sy/^eATeR. {-^
AfJD ovsr<5RS For SuPP€R

©I939M-V Tte-iBune iiMC.

\/

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

OH,3R.UCSj PUL-Leeze DONT-
WJe^R Those AV^FUL. VAVHISKeRS.
-fHEY /M/\K<S V&U Look: SO OLD,
,'-/0^7<S5TL.V; I HARDLV (<Ay£W

\'/'/' / CMd

PROOF •TH/^-r■^1^e Fff^ST

MUSTACHe IS VISIBLC AT
A DiST^NJCe OF OMG FodT

43

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

44

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

U-3-'4t Cowal". l^tT. N. T. HerofJ Tribiine IncJ

45

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

School ha5 clo seo^ "n-te
WA"re«2- [i wARo^ eMO(je>H for,

[3\-riM 6., "THC ClRCO$ l$ COf^lMG.
To ToVUr-i.THe 6ASee.ALLTeAfvi HAS
EtecXeP Htf^ ^\TCHe^ ArnOTHe
C)rHLV <SiRL HAS VAJRi-r-reM A MO-re
(3A(3irHc9 nets vgRv Scul. —

Copr. 1925 (N. Y. World) Press Pub. Co.

46

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

47

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

hello, cl/^^r :
Going Fishimg-
ALL BV ^uRSeLF?/

M.-^ -^ \-^'

TUB DlSCO\/<5RV TH/^r

TtiSpte /^^e" TTmcs vjhgn

-JHE COMPAMIOMSHIP OF

/^ BEAUTIFUL W0'^/l^J (S
NOT ewrrReLV aj^c^ssary

HtSS PATTfRliOMTTMli i MRS MOStCi

1 ALBERT worn- BE /^BlFToT^kE" h S PiAmo i

LF5>0mT0X)A/. he &UfcMED rtlL Hr3 Flr*<H^t: ,
^■MaOTiMl> OFr FlPt PAC«€C5 OmTMU V-™
1 Aie B&e Twr-y LL be WELC By MEVX WECK
1 VCi , I HOPe SOT-OO WETLL 1 M
IT'5 Ovee FOP AnoTWtR -i-EAR-

48

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

ThFFiEST Time

HADT& RAV Fum
Fy4eE TOP- you

JHL

OH,&oy. NO \A/AR.S. NO ATo/^IC BOAnB.
MO DIPLOA1AXIC WRAMSLeS. AJO STRIKES.
AJC COMMU/MIST PLOTS. OOST A AJICe,
OLO-FASHIOMeD /\X AlURDeR AajD

A STORY FROM wiNsreo, e=oAJMee-r(euT-
ABouT A (?HiCK<^AJ WITH SIX i_ees

/\ VERY ouD AjewsPAPeR

TftAT WAS F='OUAJD IMTfte A-mC

Mh

hjie'/

49

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

/ '

OUT OF The CHRVS/ALIS

/ 1 1 '

/

©(•9--*<D-M-V"^R-''i'JMtf i*jC

50

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

iH/E AWAK^M/MG To Ihe VALU£
OF PUBLIC ITV AND TfiG SeLSCTION
OF A MeOIUM ASSURIMG A
TRSMENOOUS C(RCULA~riOM

© '533 ^^.yTralStJ^*£. i-Jc

51

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

52

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

53

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

The CLIMGiMG V/IME

@ 1933 ^) y-TratBu»OE,i»oc

^V ^''

,€^

'^\^^

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

a. BARRfcL STT^v/es O

a. Pieces OF HARMiss-s— o

A. BRooM HAMPLeg O

ToTT^i- Cost

(£)l93B N.Y.-rfgiBviKiE. . i-vC

55

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

56

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

ItiS FIRST Tll^G

You HAD The ex-

F£RiEMC& OF"

OF /^lATCNeD
CLU3S FoOi

IF "TiDU WAMT THAT 6A<3 OF CLuBS
Trt&Y'R'e YOURS, I N<SV£R WAAJT"

To L/^V (Sves oM th' filthy^

THI/^GS ^S L-CKIOIS I Live '

57

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

gee! I UKE
CHtCKGM

Too !

Xhs BoV who FoomD
He HAD SOMeT7H/MC3
ISJ GOMMOhJ </^(TH HIS
HSRO

©iqW- i-'--y-T&ie,uM£ i^c

58

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

59

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

60

THE THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME

61

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

62

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

63

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

NO SNOw)~^o /ee— AJO sk/ytikig?

AJO SLID (NO— Too <5/^RLV f=0^

PISH IWe -Too L^T& R?R R/^eeiT HUM-r/NG

loo y^/ARj^ To k-eeP oav flannels ~ too

CfOi_0 To TAK<£- TTVe/^ OFP —Too COCD
To <30 S«a/'M^/(V/G or. eAR^FOOT

© IJOS M.y. TB1BUM6. IMC.

64

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

65

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

66

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

67

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

68

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

69

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

70

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

I - M r II~1TT

I see YcPuR. SON IS Re/\Di/\je that disgr/\c<£"Ful
"HUCkTLeBtRRY F(mm"Book:. You KrJOVV, OF couRse,
IT WASThROWM 0U7"0F/=\ library /M S0/'^<E^ AJf^W
eAiGLAMD ToWM. AMOTHSR BLOOD AND THOMOeR
gOOKYHAT S-HOULD Bfc KEPT ouT oFlHS HANDS oF
//v/lPRe^SSIOM/^BLS BoYS IS TRtASURe ISL/^SjO" AND

I AM Takino Tne aiayycr up with TF/e library Board

evyeAJ BeFoRe TRe days of the:

COMIC 300KS \^Je HAD TR.OUQLE
OVeR OUR /ADVeAJXuRfc STCDRieS

Copyrighr, 1948. New York Hecold Tt.bunc Inc

/2-7-

71

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

ALL THIS EK/£RLi\STIMC5 'TALK ABouT
YouTH DEIhJG COAJRJSep IS MOM Se<\JS£-.

SeenS LIKe ^VERY RAPeR AND /MA&A2:/AJe
I PICK UP iHESC OfiKYS NA5 SOMST-HIMG To

SAV ABOUT YoulH BEIKIG CONTUSED.
l'^ GeTTI^G SICK OF IT, You YoUSJ&STEf^S
VOSiT APPR<^C '^"f^ \t>Uf^ ADVAM-TAGeS.
^yo^^J, WHeN l WAS F/Vt V&ARS Y^Uf^Gef^

Thaw Vou ( wewT" To work /m a b^ick

VARO. got up at six eVERV MOf^lMG
AMD

CTuMioR KnjowS This oAje —

IT LASTS AM HOUR AMD A HALF

■y TaiBo-JE "^C

hif,'!'''^

72

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

A (3oV /^A^eO \AJILLie
"CHRISTIAMIA TuFkKi" AhjO

/M/^Kes TTne usual, wicne-

*»a

(^m'

t^/

<g) I93g. N.y. TRIBUNE IMC

73

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

74

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

75

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

GUM/^V A^cCAPe IS CC'M/^JG
To 0/^-r. He's o For 2,
HiT-r/MG -AX 119. THe Veref^ANV
SHOrTS-toP ust D To HAve
Pl^mTV of stCjff^ euT Aee

IS TAk:(-M& ITS- ToLU. WHSM
/^ MAN GETS To ee TH/R-rV
Ve'ARS OLD He DO<^SM
Move AROUN)0 WITH HIS
CUSTOMARV 2.IP- HIS
.exes SHOW THe
RAVAeeS OF T7/^0e —
But — OH, \aj<S(-u,
THA-rs LiFe

A DODDERiMG OL.O OewT
0F45 LISTENS To A BASE
BALL BROADCAST"

^5*^'

© n40-N Y TRIBUNE 1 NC.

76

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

Ij'tH^ G/RL^VA/HO For Two v^eeKS has

USED ALUTHS ORe-AMS, LOT/OMS, SOAP>?

AMD Powders Rc=ooMf^Gs\oeo ev

The HOLLVWOOQ STARS', eofKiCL-UDE-S-
■THi^T she (S mo more C5LAMOROU5
THAM usual

77

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

GORDoM, iW OUST BROUOHT S^uf^

pRtss 5'uiT Dovajaj from The /\TTtc,
/MMO (WISH SWd look at it—

SfnPLV RIDDLED WITH A/)oTH holss]
OF COURSE "r6(j ReALize what this-
M^AMS — we cam't go To THe

r /

OH, AlV eosH .
Th/^t's awful /
weLL, lbt's

TRVToTakg (T
PHILOffOPHIC/^LLYi
wo use RAILING-
AT FATe

78

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

W<fll,hova7 dv/^ Like
IT P 'Th£\' v^eRe^ H/^vif\J
A SALe /^T A SHOP /V<S-AR

IH' oFF/ce", /^ND I Bought
Siy or "e/^T not- bad,

Tne WOAI/qA/ \aJHO ^^S~ 6<S<S"AJ
VJORKING SIX AIOAVTTWS OAV A
SWeAT"(SR W/T7H WHICH To
SURPRISE HeR HUSB/^f^O

%^^

<e^/

©1^37 ^)^YT^:lB^>P^e. mc

79

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

../i/^^^'^

'?/r'f'

/'/;.

NOT iHe TVpe

80

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

Copyright, 1921, H T. Wcb*l«r,

81

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

82

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

DOCTOE.,

H -H He's
S-S- Sick.

Am" - An' - |

ro^yrtmi. rore. b7 » T WcbniJ

^^y

HE hVVS ruCH
SENSITIVE LITTLE
I FACE - ALM05T LiKE
A Glt^L'5 ■

SOMCTiME'^
HE If EvEn PftfTTiEE-
TmAh Hi5 S"I5TEE. A"DHe'5
Tne /MOST "Ifer-iDeei-HlARTED L'l
TiOv, RamDOLPh, ^'mg MiTi WATSON I

VouR 5weeT LiTTue 5oh& -
tooj) A^oer-iiMGr meR

i-^

AMOH& TIC
MEMBeTSi OF

The team
Ai -rue

MueCilv Avt
WILD CAT

i,^^

83

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

84

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

6«''"/

Copr. 1926 (N. Y. World) Preaa Pub. Co.

85

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

86

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

■ 87

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

89

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

90

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

The uf-jReASO/\jAeLefyj<sss

OF lv/OA^<S/\) (M\

l^^'^§^;::.^^7

© 1537 N.y TKiauNE.lNC.

91

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

92

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

93

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

94

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

95

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

96

LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENT

"^t^sg^

POG-

ICopTiUM. i«i6. brlTT. Wt&dv^

97

IV

Our Boyhood Ambitions

and

The Boy Who Made Good

Two early groups of drawings. The first stopped because of obviously
limited material (the "boyhood ambitions" were in each case authentic),
and the other because there were not so many things which aroused the
cynic in Webster. As he grew older he became gentler and funnier in
dealing with human frailty.

98

THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD

/Amdv, MY Bov^ OH The str.eh&th

OFVOUP- IHTERVIEW WITH MIUUOMAIK.E

G-iLTRoy The Chief has asvced me

To MAlie VOU OuE. STAE- REPoRTtli-
S0METHlMCrTEU_5.METDo TrtfVT BE6IMMINO

With Saturday youp. SALAtz-y will be
■* IL. fo A WE&i^ . YOU CAM iSo Home
NOW AMD Paci^ YouP- G-RiP, we
vyAHT VOU To EuM ovee_AMD

IHTECViEW ROBER.T E. LEE.

AHDR.EW CAEHEG-IE
VA/AtsTE-D "lb BE A
NEWSPAPEI2- REPOl^TE.R^

WHAT W/\'j VoUR. S

(Copyrigm. 1')15. by H. T. Webster.)

99

OUR BOYHOOD AMBITIONS

'50 "/A'VE BEEHAVvWlPPIHA-MOTMCB.
PUPO^ HAVEYA? SEEMS LIKPVA.
<2AW'T O-IT AUDHG-W|-m MO OME ,
WeLL , l^M A GQMMA MAtiE A

Example outa /a . (^sibP that
l?>Lu&i>ER)M^!) VOU'R-E FIRED

OUirHAGO!"

'OH.MR.MCINT/Rtlj
PLLASE GIVE ME

Just OME moe-e

CHAMCE ! "

BEIHGr PRIHCIPAL
OF THE HiGrH SCHOOL.
FOR. ABOUT 15 MIMUTE5

WHAT WAS YOURS?

100

OUR BOYHOOD AMBITIONS

101

OUR BOYHOOD AMBITIONS

(Copyright, I9l5, by H. T. Webster

102

OUR BOYHOOD AMBITIONS

CHAE-LES RlH&Liri<S,THeClie
AtAN , WAMTEP "To OWN 2.
ELe PHA nT5AMD/ALlQH Am
HAVe HI5 /MOTHER S PER.Nl5i
To TEAlM "Trte/vi (MTHt KlTCHEl

(Copyright, 1916. by H T Webster.)

103

OUR BOYHOOD AMBITIONS

5ENATOI2- WIIDAM E.eORAH

WANTBD To BE A R/VILWAY
COMPUCTOfa.

(Copyright, t9l6, by H. T. Webster.)

Cit<hV

104

THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD

105

THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD

MR. BLAB/MORe, A/ow 'mAT /^L_
HAV<F The DATe AND PLAO^ OR

Y&ufR eiRTH, LemE- H^ye the
sr<oRVoF VouR CL/Aie To rAMe

COLL^Oe WHAT DID VOU DO?

^A1,'FAIL5D AT-
LAW; THe BOMD
BUSfWeSS AMD
ir^SORASlCB ■
GO OM

GOT FeD UP

WITH That and
w£Mr /NTO
APVe'ftTVSI/MG.

Got out of That

AMD —

17^e^J i weMT /nto Polit/cs and

UeP^RN^D THAT- I HAD ThfE" G/FT
oF ©AB AND COULD CON\/\MCe
-The MoB THAT Two AMD Two
yyfyOE SIX

I SCLD BomDS For. a Few weeks,

AMD TfteN VJeNT INTO A ^-AW
OFRCt. I didn't GeT A(-ONO WITH
THe P/\RT^/fcR5", So 1 cpuiTAMD
WtMT /MTo (NSuRANCe. DlD^/'^~
LIKt That and TRfSD RSAL iE\S77\Te-

FAILED /Ay
REAL iSSTATiE
AMD AOVSR-
TlSlhJG-
COmPLETS
FRUSTRATlONJ,

EH?

Theki my Father
SeT ME up /M THe

COAL euSIMESS, Bui
HARD LUCK FOLCOWeD]

^e. TF/e eu^iN/es's
w^nt bankrupt

AMP MOW VouRe

AM OUTSTAMD(Me
RABBLE-ROUSER

I MEASI S'TAT^SA^AM-
A ReMARKABue

STORV; AlR-

PLABMORe

HeH/H£H/ i'm

afraid Vou're

GNING> M£
eMTlRecY 'Too
/MUCH Cf?eOlT,
VtouWS MAN

]06

THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD

107

THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD

yes,S(R
That's

Rt<3HT

VieLL, OLD rcMSR , ]

STILL- K^ORKII^G

OM WUR PSRPe-TuAL. j

I

Bfi^CK IN eiGHTY MlhJ£
( -THOUGHT ( HAD IT, BuT

/v/iY FLY vJHeeL- was
oveRweiGHT /^'^'
I n^p T??oueLe

/'m ow th' R(6ht Track
NOy^J , Young FeLLeR.AWoTMc?^'
Five YeARS /^w' I vjon't hak/s

-To WC-R^Y, i'll HAVe A10RC-

MoweY "Tham I C'^w
SPeMP

( \/e e^GN A Va/ORKIM OM ("

A^Aw am' 6oy PeR sev/er^yTY

Two V^-^RS. I STARTED

vjHeN I WAS- NiNGT^er^

I PuRtY mcar had (H

IN NINGTYT^O, &OT
SCMeTHINl' We^JT WI^OMG
WITH ON<S OF -Th' CfM-^
SHAFTS' ,

Le's see, You Re

AeOUT NINETY
ONe, i^R€N'

i'll ee NiKJSTY
Two Th' first
OF PeceMi5eR

108

THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD

5/<^V, OLD r^/^ii^, I TUST.
,_(e^'(eD -IHC Sic mevvj^ !
Gee^T STOFF! 1W/=.NJTA

CoMGis^TOL-A-re van

109

V

Dogs

There isn't a Webster series into which a few dogs didn't stray now and
then. His latest book of cartoons (Life with Rover: 1949) collected the
best of them. Mrs. Webster owned the poodles, but Webby liked them, too.

The most famous of these dog drawings was the one entitled "Collabo-
rationist," a term in common use during the Second World War to de-
scribe the sort of Frenchman who played along with the Vichy (German
controlled) government.

110

DOGS

DOGS

112

DOGS

113

DOGS

WHO FCLL
PR|NC<SSS .■»>

<g)i»wjy T»i

114

DOGS

'i^,

©i^i%

115

DOGS

116

DOGS

Hev, ve Duf?N fool!
wHcpe vc coim"?
TWen Ain't his Tf?ACf^s
TMev's ovcf? Hei?€!

CAh4'T Ve Sf-iGLL NUTHIM' '<'

?^r

TMe BLOODHOUND'S Bl<S. OPPOR>TaN IT V

A(?Rives wmgnj He is in thc th(?>ocs

or A BAD SaMr-i€:R coLD

^i^

'^^^Z

/,',J,^

117

DOGS

(Copyright, 1917, by H. T. Webster.)

"but for the grace of god there goes fifi'

///0 r///'

118

DOGS

VI

Poker Portraits

and

Bridge

The first group was one of Webster's most popular during tfie late teens
and early twenties. It stopped when he gave up poker for bridge around
the time of the big depression. He said no card game could survive "deal-
er's choice," "deuces wild," ten-cent limit and women players. A nostalgic
pictorial record of the sturdy all-male jackpot game, with table stakes,
was published in 1926 with a foreword by George Ade.

The first of his three collections of bridge drawings had come out two
years before the poker book, and much of his best and funniest later work
was done under the caption "Bridge."

120

POKER PORTRAITS

121

POKER PORTRAITS

Tm bettimg

Two berries!

'av*''!

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF A BIG STACK

122

POKER PORTRAITS

tt^i^l-

HOW OUR MOTHER USED TO PICTURE A FRIENDLY GAME OF PENNY

ANTE

123

POKER PORTRAITS

THE FLOW OF WISDOM

124

POKER PORTRAITS

Co^T^2 , s'o AN th' Cigars* 7, €'0
AN T(^e(?e wef?e ^holcs eoi^NED.N
-Th' Rufr . I woM*86.2 5". iFTHese

CHECKS An I.O.U, S f\«.£ ALL Goo£?_
TlL only 6eOUT/ABO«jT*3y. — 'HAT I

IS IF I Can (SeT ANew/f^uG- 'FoP.
WHATTHfS OMe Cost

THE BIG WINNER

125

POKER PORTRAITS

DRAW 5 one CTARPTB
FOOfS ACeS Ar4p 6eTS
KeLUCTAM-TLV -

(SexS A CLu6 WHEM He
NeeDS A HeART-BETS
Ar-«f7 SCAKe 5 A (MAr-t with

STAMPS Pat OM sevens
UP. 'SersTne lkvu-tamO
IS MOT eAccei? —

THE INSCRUTABLE POKER FACE

126

POKER PORTRAITS

127

BRIDGE

128

BRIDGE

129

BRIDGE

130

BRIDGE

131

BRIDGE

\

( HO/^CR , l\'£ FIGuf^eO our -This w^Y
You coulO HAv/e MAD£ That &ramd \

Ts Leo You OISC/^RO o^Je of Dua?mvs

VOUR HAND WIT-H TNff ACe. -"^eM ^fco

HAMD BY RuFFrM& THg-ftReeoF SPApes^

C«Prw|H. 190. He

13:

BRIDGE

/Vl CeKTAINLS' GLAD To K^EE-nflE W(Fe OF
THc LUCKISS-r BRIDSe PLAVeR IM Towaj-

I Hope J?/^ 6OU&HX You A MliMK COAT OUT
oF HIS LAST A/l&H-rS VA/(/VA/IM&S. Al/^VBE HE
-ruRWS OV.SB; ALL HIS- PROFITS To You, '1H^_

vj'aY we Do vjiTH OUR vj/ves. vyeLL, if hc

Dots I'm TALKIM& To A f^lCH VJOMAAJ

GeNTteMesj, 'You HAVE HEARD MY oPPowea/t"
PIOTWO HiF;<^RTS,' This- ISA CHALCSA/Ge To
evERV Tv-IO-FtSTEO, RcD-BLOODeO AMC^/CAa
NO MAhJ CAKI OOU3T MY S fAJCeRITY,' I STAND
OaV my RfcCORD .' MY UPe IS AW OPtM BooK .' ,

W<? WILL FACeTHE issue WITH Flf^i^ ReSOLVf.

iiD Two SP'^OHS / ^— — ""

Sir DOWN,
senator!

133

BRIDGE

134

BRIDGE

135

BRIDGE

136

BRIDGE

^

137

BRIDGE

CHRISTMAS.'! DO vou

©H3< N y THiBuMfe '-C-

138

BRIDGE

FROA^ THe PRosPec-rus —

AMD AFTeR SUPPeR, He/q LTH (LV TiR^D FRoA-i
Your. DAV om THt- STREAA^,You sink iKj-ro
A SOFT f5£D OF FRAGRANT BALSAM, and
ARE G<SMT"LV LULLtD INTo DRCAMLeSS
SLUA^SiFR BVTN(S WH(SPeR(MG P/^ye^S AMD
THE CR{CK£T CHORUS^ To AWAf<ew Re —
FRESHeO AT ROSY DAWAJ BoRoRe THe
FIRST LA^V SPIRAL OF SMOKfc RlS(SS
FROA^ THO BRe/^KPAST FiRt

Qi-^ai- ^.y Tre-iSofvie mc. ■

139

BRIDGE

OOH ■ MOW I

ttm play my

ACe, TAMT I

■P

ess ou "TAf^ •

/\n' bu CATCH
A^y DReAT BIG

ICKLe CRAC»<Pot/

If ^^'^^'^/'

140

BRIDGE

141

BRIDGE

142

BRIDGE

|^%"<^>:<:^^:x:?:::>>"x^^^

©ig<l -M.y -n;^ieutv>£ i^.c.

143

BRIDGE

Bee paroom,

But 'The house
NEXT Door is
CM Fire

RIDICULOUS

-TX/Oute i—e

^wmmm.

144

BRIDGE

Portrait of
Your OAueHTSR.
HAS HCR OL.D
MASl's <^Y£S
AND Mose Too

gam't ser

A WAV FR'OM

HeRieDITY.'

BAH ■' '^'J SX
PLooeD TSeoRV.
This &iri- will

VteARS OLD NSXT
MONTH, AMD
SHe STJLL LEADS
AWAY Ffi^M AAV

145

BRIDGE

146

BRIDGE

THB ^RlD&t GAMe AT TtAJ

o'c?LoeK You <^iAV S"e/$ve
umTIL ( TiEL-u You

147

BRIDGE

k:.^^'/

148

BRIDGE

149

BRIDGE

150

BRIDGE

■'''/yy^yyy'-

(T S tTuST owe A'l/MuTe To Twe(_ve

/^MD I iH/MK we /^L'_ SHOULD
S7?^MD UP; HOLD HAaJDS /:\ajD
S(NC5 /^ULD LAM(3 SYKI& , t'(^
FRlGHrFULLV SeNTIMBNTAL-

ABOUT New/ vgar's eve

1 1 1

RUBBeR GAMe, SIX
wo 7?$uMP DouSLeO
AND R(5-Dou6LeD

©1537 N.yTtr.suUE. INC

151

BRIDGE

152

BRIDGE

\r]\

w*::"

v'v-.viiii'"" '■

\\- \«i "Ml

■\

;uw

ill

v>*^''- K

■V ^--^^r^

^XCXoRe. OF Twc? M£^/\J

(c]l-13-1 M y Tf^'BurJl^ iNC

'^S^vif

f , n \ V

,.-^^

L,,U'

153

BRIDGE

Bid out of Torm, TT^u^peD
AMD BLoeKeD MeRse^LR /nj dumaov

'f^'^/
^^^^/

'i'D37-MW-TTaiBowe

154

BRIDGE

155

BRIDGE

/viv oeAR, eveR since weVe eeeN AiAf^f^ieo

we've SHAReD eveRYtHtAJG -TbOETHiSR. - /^LL
OUR. O&VS -^NO SORROWS. A/MD H/=^ve / e^veR
CONCeALEO ANYTHING FROM Vou UuST To
SPARE VOUR FeeLlNGSy NO. ALL. R^C^Hl- Thsn
I W/^NT To T&Z-L. Vfc>u >^60UT -T^/e
HAMD I Het-O ON TH£ -m^tKi

-Tonight and how/ i playgd it /
DEALT AMD we we^e '

\/ULN£RABL£

'6

r~Tn

-The scN-r/Me/oTAL

APPf<OAiCH

f^ih

^)i9mS ■■ y TfZjBUm^^ -- -C

'U'l?

156

BRIDGE

L/LL/AM,THIS /S THfc S<^CO/UO T7/Mc
ToMICS'HT' YaUK/e TT^KSKI /^B OUT
OF A 0USlf^(ES S OouBLt. / A/^
MO(/<f ABLG Tg V/e\A/ iHt /MMISJ<SSJr
OeSTf^uCTtOM OF Tne VJof^LD BV
XH^ /^"TOA^ Boa^B W(T"M /^

oeeRee of c^oMPLACEhjcY

"Xne PHiLosaPH^K

@'<9*J<j O V TfZ<gu>/<; .*J

157

VII

The Timid Soul

Webster is perhaps best known as the creator of Caspar Milquetoast, the
Timid Soul, who first saw the hght in the New York World in 1924. He
has since appeared in books, movies, radio and vaudeville. In this series
the artist literally added a word to the English language. "Milquetoast,"
with a small m, may be found in most modern American dictionaries.

158

THE TIMID SOUL

159

THE TIMID SOUL

\aJH£M V^ GOlf^' To

Put pack WHe^e

A HURRlCAMe BLOU/S

OM <^R,^^/LpU(ST£3AST'S
HOuS<S

©'g3g-N-y.TK.I»UM« .MC

160

THE TIMID SOUL

MR. MILQUETGA^T AJeveR
LIKG'S To 3G SEG^J LcoKlNG
AT UNORAPeD STATcJARV

©19^0- "-J y TH-iPunE mC

161

THE TIMID SOUL

162

THE TIMID SOUL

163

THE TIMID SOUL

Pose For. a photo to ee useo /n

/^o7£ - The PL/^W<5 is om TT^t Gftou^D

/^4^l

,4*^/

164

THE TIMID SOUL

165

THE TIMID SOUL

166

THE TIMID SOUL

MfS.. ^rsoucwoicpise", / L.L. CoNceoc

ITT '^H'^T GKJC^ VCXJ /^ ^. Wg-
LOST. /Vl H/^K/e ^ 5 (F I $(NK

My purc-r, Wf-^iCH i'll ff2oe^6Lv

a ItACi^ PUTTS

Ui7

THE TIMID SOUL

168

THE TIMID SOUL

164

THE TIMID SOUL

'''''l'ii^irU-,*t4_,^

V ^ ; -V,:

^iA^

^i^,

©1935 »J.y.T(ti&wwe, ixJC

170

THE TIMID SOUL

THE TIMID SOUL

I^R./^ILQUSTaAST SHIFTS
FROM FIRST To H/GH

<2) 1936 Ni.y. TRiSuNJE,iwc

172

THE TIMID SOUL

-To Try CMeuJiNe. -iseAcco

li^^

eA,

©l'?3'^- ^<-V Tg.i&uME IMC

173

THE TIMID SOUL

174

THE TIMID SOUL

e>e£N IMV(T"<SD DOWlMTo
H£<^DQUART(5RS To lOeMTlFy
TH€ /^AnJ VJHO STOLt HIS CAR.

175

THE TIMID SOUL

176

THE TIMID SOUL

/^R. /^iLQUeTO/^ST RtADS OKI
THe LABeL OF/^ BoTTLG OR

Meoic/M^ TfyAT <s^eH s-rdom
FuL CPowlA^MS 4,000,000

©iqsq ro Y-re-isui.J£ IHC

177

THE TIMID SOUL

I'n QerrTisjG sick /^no riReo

WATc;H^M<5 V&U LOAF 0MTH/5
U^o6- I Suppose Vfe-u Thimk

THe WORLD owes You '^ LtVIM&«
GeT euSV WITN THAT BRooAO

OR ILL K(Cf< Vt'U OFP THE PLAee.
VOU H<SARP A^e,' WHAT^ T?V-<^tP

Vt)U AMP WHO eLse P

/MR« M/L(^ueToAs"r HAS BeeN

RCADIMCS A 600 K OnJ HoV^
To AC?(9UIRe A DOA^/MATf'M©
PeRSONJAL-lT''T"

©i^s^f^-y TctBuMe IMC.

178

THE TIMID SOUL

*"^'*«4M«-v,^

wm

v/

/,

Copyn.hi P,t„ Publnhinn. Co (N™ York Wotid) 1930.'

174

THE TIMID SOUL

180

THE TIMID SOUL

isi

THE TIMID SOUL

gW^x^^^^^^X^:^:^;^^^^^^

,0 _ '2-. -^m — .,

THE" L(Tr'^<F 6oV /we-x-T
Door h/^s bc^^m pr/^ct/c/mg

For iHiS LAST Two HoURS

(g) ig"=

■ M ■ V "rre.iaufcj€

182

THE TIMID SOUL

183

THE TIMID SOUL

y'km<3w what

I SHOT THIS

A Rorr'N 79;

I'm THROUG/H
WITH -Th' F/LThY
OAMG ! an'

This Time
I Me AN it'

DOn'-T T^LK To S

MeA^our PUTRiP
golf/ / t?/^/^^

WITH /AN 81 »
V/H£N A MAM
SHOOTS OV/^R
g'O Heb (?eTTeR
G/ve- OP Th '

That's vjhat

\'^ OONNA

UH ~ NGwef^
MIND, OPERATOR,

CANceu That

GALL

.y^^

184

THE TIMID SOUL

MR. M/LQUerOASX
isn't ALW/^YS Umio

/-/ Z- ^3 Copif.ghr, 1948. N T Htra\i Ti

185

VllI

How to Torture Your Wife

and

How to Torture Your Husband

The artist himself has described this group as depicting incidents in the
life of every happy family. He adds that the more the family can laugh at
them, the happier it will be.

186

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

n

WHY DoMT \iDu
G£T SOMe-THISJG

like: That "P

,^\th

^^t9<»0. M-V TgiftuMC mc

hi^r/

1S7

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

188

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

HmI soup

To -MIGHT,

GUESTS

CHlCKBhJ I

VJELU~\aJELL. !

'^^^f^-

^(ilf-^ \ ^^

^5!!

vjetL, c?uiT-<s ^

IF YOU w^Rt -(RYIN& To &iv/e
OUR Guesrs Tne imPRessioi^ that
we Live ON/ Pork amd p^ams
wHeNJ we'f?<5 ALoi^E you

CcRTAlNLY

189

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

HEFiBS SOMBTHlhJG' TH^-T A^AV /WT&fteST YoO, (Ve ^ADfc

A RSGoftO oFTne MUA^eef^ oFf/Mes Vou useo THe ad-

Vou Liseo THE WORD 78 TiA^es. \t?(j APPLieo n-To
OOC5S, CH/LDRew,Movfe ACTo/^s-, Houses, fyA-rSiDRes^^e^^

eARR(W<3S, MUSTAiCHeS, P<5N(5U(MS, SW/^r^/Mfe PoolS,
MATCH gOX^S^PlOKLG FORKS, AUT&^oe/LeS,T?^AFF(e

CoPS; PICK€T FeMces awd R^g- Roes, ^amd /^i

ALMOST eV^R-V/NSTAWCe YoO MISUS60 TH(S WORD,

c?uT^ mgams sharp— CL-eveR

190

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

HEY I Look out /
You'll bust /^ll

['--'-'-'^-'-^-iri-i^-"^-'-'-'-'— ^''■-'-■-'''-'j

THS IMPUL-'SiUe HUC3

©t^i-J-M y.TKlftUMe (MC

1^1

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

OF A^ASCARA ON y&uR /^ose,

/NMD what's Wlf^Of^& W(l>y

Your ORessT Does/\j'-r s-ee^
-75 H-^we ri©ht; «Ave Vbu Got

{T OM eAGKKj^AR.O^ r'

-XHE- MASJ Va/HO DoesA^-

©1339 My.Tre.BusjE.uc-

192

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

193

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

The AMGLERS

,<iK

W7

( we've eeeA/ eLC/iAiiMG oux \ouf< oRessef?
AMP TReRefe A Tot^ OF Rubbish /w Tfte uppet^
PR/^weR.s — /^ LOT- OF LerreRS -m/^-r ^Re

TfeM YS^RS OLD —ABOUT- -Two DoZieM OLD
SOLF SCOR.es —A STACK OF- AJ^WSPAPeR
CUPPINGS— A RAProF F/SH/W© -TACKLe

c?Ar^t-o©ues— so/wt Pipe cceAMe^s awd

A MESS OFOTHSR. STUFF. A/0\^, WHAT" Do^
>tJ(J WAMT /we To Do WITH AL

194

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

195

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

196

M

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

197

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR WIFE

I S6£ -That ma^j. i see -fne car. coakmg oot
cF fne Sioe STTaeeT. i won't pass TPe car ahead

UAJITl its SAF6 To DO So. //^ A^OT GoiMCb Too

FAST" /'m Doing 2.5, which is 5 uMDCf^ "TF/e
L^OAL limit: I see'fHe 6dY oNiHG bicycle.

j S£^<5 -Th^" Dog CRoSSI/sIG 'Hve Road 2 BLOCKS
AHEAD. W<5"Re ^U ABouT To SAY SO/^ETHING,

veART

^■y

V'^^/y^^K

y(f

198

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

199

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

200

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

■S-

"3

(DM, S¥©AI^?is)niE)
IHlAKIIDI^IEIIlCffimiiFf

201

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

i^e itty Bitty

#Tea Shoppe

,-^/

r

V7HV, Vou SAID
Wt COULD
LUM CH /^WV PL^Ct
I W/^MTIFD

202

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

VOO-HOO I OH

H6Re i An !

203

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

204

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

euT> PAf^L-l^7<5, DOAJT GGT SO
UPSerZ I KN/OW You SLAVoD

C?V<5R IT ALU SUMMSf^, 3U-r /^LL
I SAID WAS THAT IT T^ST<^S
UKa ANY OTHER. CABBAee

:<iK

W7

205

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

/
OH, DARLING' Oo/^T ose

-fHe GU&ST 7owe/_S /
C?0/^PAK]V POR DIAJAJe^/

You'll Find a Box or
p/aiP<SR. Towels //^j TRe
L(Me/M closet/

WITH HIS EY(ES FULL
aF SOAP HE GETS
HIS IMSTRUCTIOAJS

(c) it^tj-l ■ tj V TreiBu^e

7-i-

206

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

OA(K-LIMO, Do

You Lov<s- M^'r'

VJELL., I WAMT To
H^AR Vou SAY SO-
RlGHTOuT LOUO-
WH/)Tfe THAT? /
csamV" AlAKe" ou-r

WHAT S-fauR^ SAV/MG;

dom't Bi^Lieve

You LOV<S A1(E AT
/^LU. (F V&U DID
v^U W<:5ULDM'T-

UH-Y^S /■A/De<5D.

We WILL &/ve
THe AiAT-ref^

CUR lMMe:D\f\Te.
AT-re^NTlOAJ .
(ER-UH-"rfe"S,
THAT-'S SO.

/'ll chsck

UP At-iQ CALL

\bu ^ACKr.

Y<5S-V^S

DURIKJe 6(JS^AJeSS HOURS

^Jtt>afe-M YftaSoMg

207

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

208

HOW TO TORTURE YOUR HUSBAND

209

IX

The Unseen Audience

This is the series which at first caused an uproar in the radio industry,
but in ] 948 resulted in the Peabody Award to Webster "for distinguished
service to radio."

210

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

21 1

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

IHE eCH

212

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

" -THIS C\rY IS THE LARGEST IN lH£ UNIT6FD STA-T^S."

" BROOKLYN ?" "no, 6UT You're close, one of its tallest

3UILDINOS IS-TftE EMPIRE STATE'/ ''OH.EMPIRE CITYP

''NO.euTTHE NAf^E STARTS WITH N-E-W.' ' OH.NEVJ

cre-RSEY?" "No,^/El^/^eRSEY \sastate-notacity.

rms CITY WAS NAMED AFTER THE DUKE OF YORK.
''OH I KhJOVJ-YoRK, PENNSYLVASJIA'.' "'NO, IM AFRAID
NOT here's another hint- one OF THE f 'TYS AIOST
FA/viOUS STREETS IS NAMED BROADWAY- ^^^^"^^^^
YONKERS ." ''NO. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE. VJHAT ^
CITY ARE Vou IN RIGHT NO\^?''

SIVE ITHIS BRIGHT LADY J fT^^^^^ C^^IZ'
FIFTEEN HUNDRED / ^ASY J ^guesIeO,
DOLLARS/ ^ ^^^ y ^ ^^ \ Toledo

-•T^

Copyright. 1948. New rorli Herjid T tbunc In

<o 3o

213

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

EIGHT o'clock. TlMe

You G^ABB<ED SO/^e

A po\ajoer/ SCRAM:

ThE INFUUEMC^ OF
RADIO OM GRA/MDMA

^tf,

(c)f^i ^•yv^.\e>u*J£ imc.

4- 3o-

hi^C''/

214

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

WHV ain't You Smart L/Ke
THeM q>ui:z. kids 7* V/\ could
^<5 (^arajim' a lot of a^oolah

/MST15AD OF A^e" Va/ORK^Aj' AIV
RAyGtRS To Th' Bom€

215

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

"•w.-

jj^VA, ^ GeT IT, BILL?

That FULL- BOD I eD,

D<5L/C?A-T(f; HAUNTINGLY
FRAGf^AMT Af^O^A —

-TAKE A DfiAG^ AN'
lASre- HAPPY

Boy/that -janta-

EXOTIC SCiEAJ-r/
M-^-^-M — GOOD-

M-^-M-M — Good!

Yes, SIR, iTS THE

Tobacco That,

COUNTS

The (mfluence

OF RADIO 15

rAR-REACH\NG

©iq^T- ►< V.-nziBuiJC^Me~ 5~2.l*

216

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

217

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

*^/\WD MOW OUR NEKT CONleSTT^MTT YOUR N/^MG; PLEASE?
"MRS.OTTb SM/ALTZ/' ^^ AND VJHERE IS YoUR HOAie, /WRS.
SMALTZy'^ ''east DKAIAvJAGe, NEBRASKA." '' H^W LOA/G

HAve You Be-<FM aiakrk^d"?'' ^^tw-^nty s/x year's."
"How DID Vbu Ajeer mr. saialxz:?" *' i Aier him at a

DANCe " ''HOW A7/^A7Y DATES DID YoU HAVe BeFoRe

OTTO rRK^D TO KISS You?" '' aH , FouR or Five i euess.

'MAiD WH^N DID H<S PRoPOSe?'' '' I TH'MK /^BOOT- A
MONTH AFTER ^EMET/' ^' ONE -^ "^^05^ eAOJ.OUS^

«, -HH/MK Hf SA\D, 'HOW AeOOT YoU /^AJO I G^TT/AJG /H^K f
' RIEO?" '^ANO DID You /\CrePT/)TOAJCe,Of^ DID YOU

-THISJK You we^e
Tfie HARD-To-
GETIYPE?"'

'V

PRELIA^INARIES To
/ASKING IF WATiER FLOWS
UPHILL OR DOWM HILU

,<^^

Copyright, 1949,
New York Herold Tribune Inc.

7-/3-

W7

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

~N

I Hope we
CAM see The

-^fyX SINGS
7h£ LNER
FILL SONG

DISHPAN HANDS
DISHP/AM HAMOS
-TfieV WILL KEEP

awaV 'Thb mans.
IfVou vjanT some

REAL ALLURE-USE
dLATHER SOAP AND
^EEL SECURE <PO

A d\0 IM—
PRove^^e^JT

ON i^Dio.

I've ALWAYS

deeN CURIOUS

fb SEE THE
PEOPLE VJHO
SING THE
COMMERCIALS

219

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

YOU DID F/MRLY WSLL WITH KRISPY- i<RUNCHY, AND
NOW we WILL take: up /^-M-M-GaOO' I WANT
You To FAY P/^RTfCULAR ATTeA/T/OM To Tne ROLLING

M AND The emphatic emphasis on good, all right,

J NOW /^LJ_ T'oaeT-HGR — A1-A1—A1-A1- GOOD''

220

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

221

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

vJHEM That A1A^7 of VbORS

e^T's Ho/^r FRo^n -TFie

OFF/C(E"OR FACTORY TTr^D

/^Mp humgry; surprise

HIM WITH A SPIAJA CH

SHORT cAKe^^ ArJ eAsrio

/vjAKfc DISH -rfVATIS SIMPLY^
VuMf^V. HGRe's HOvJ —
OK/eRine SPiNfiiCH SPRIMK-Le"
TRRee cups OF GRATED
PARSNIPS —lH£N ADD
-Tv70 SLlCep BA/VAMAS,
HALF A euP OF
A^OLASSeS
AMD —

i(i f\

"^

\v///y/y. ///yu///yyyyyy.

V''

7^'^"'^-l

j^=r'^^*"' *" '--.-^ c

"^^f^^^t'^t'^^^^

<-^i

'- — >::>^^,

^■MVlkjBUve I

T)T

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

equAl- To A HALF HOUR OF UMDILUTe^D HORROR?*.
ALL RIGHT ^ BUT «F VOU SHOULD FEGL. SICK FRO/v\
SHe<5R TERROR A \^HIFror AM^O/^IA WILL HeLR
/^FTHR ALL THERE IS MarHING QUiTe SO UPSETTING
AS MUR-R-i^C)^f^~ ha! ha! HA /-ESPECIALLY
VJH€N IT HAPPeMS IM A HAUMTeD HOUSS , FULL. OF B/»XS
AMD SC?ueAKV DOORS. AS OUR SToRV OPfc/VJS A
-THUMDfcR SToRM IS RAG/AJ& . (^Ru^BLCz- Bd/^BLG )

IT IS MIDNIOHT. L-IST-<^m/

IS FUNNY

w:«>

t)'

^/eS SIMPLY
A SCREAM

.^xsy

\m

\y

(g)/9v^- f-iyrrTZJSu/je

¥(''/

223

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

ALL RiOHTj VJi^^ GuY^ yhu ASK^D

FOR ir. BANG/ BANG/ Thump!

SCRAM, ZrcD^f ITS Th' COPS'.THeYf^
/^r-Thi' Voaf^/ KSJOCKIKNOCKI HSY,
You ' OPEN Up! Wfc GOT Th' HOUSB
SURRCDUNDBOf OKAX BOYS, SMASH IN

YH'Doof^! CR^-A-SH! bang!

bang! bang!

>^

NO^,HUSH.
CHILD R£hi.
PAPDV'S
YAKlhie
HIS NAP

y^y

(C)(9^fc-g y Tg^Bwfcte .mc-

224

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

NO"^ ,LOOK, MO-JHeFK^ou WAAJT To
WIM A WASHING AlACH/Me, DomV Vfour"
ALL RIGHT. SO, WH^M TFyeV ASK ^fou
VJHeRB "You LlVSYou SAY SROOKLVAV.
NEVeR MIAJD V^HV: IT A^AKSIS TR^M FSEL
eOOO^ NOVJ^THG largest city IhjTHe
UMiTeD STAies IS new YoF^k^.THE FIRST
PR(?SIDeNT WAS V/ASHIK/GTo/V^ AA/D Two
AMD Two Ai/\Ke FOUR

225

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

Two OUT AMD 7h' eAses
LO/^oeo. HERe Comes swjeEMeY,

(F SO Vou ARe AioT- GerrisiCb e^ouoH
CALCIUM IN YouF^ rccD. Go^rt> Vfouft,
/gefGHBORHOoD DRUGST&Ro ToDAV
A/^D ASK For 6LAr^/fcRS AiA/L "T^^eLeTS
PR|Ce25<^ -35 For THt eiCy CrCoWOMV
Size Box. ^e^'?'^ 'S WHAT/^ F/^MOUS
HoLLVwooD
SrAR SAVS
ABOUT -

D D C

D

u

lO^i

^)r^'^S *-■ y '77z'l2<-/'Vti f*JC .

226

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

\0(f^/

227

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

TH/s IS 'Xne HouF^ For relax—
ATio^j. "f&s^ Folks, oust sit back,
CLose ^L/^Vves and R<Fs-r. l&t"
YcuR mino C/ARRV Vo<j gently To

SoA?fc TROPIC/^L Bf/^C/H, STRGTCH

Yourself lazily Ueacth a SHSLleR-

NG PALM AND USleN TblHS SOFT

AiuRMeR or A 'TuRcfuoise seA as

(T LA\/e5 IHE GOLDEN SANDS. Y^S,
AlY FRIENDS^ You VJILL FIMD THAT-

A^IHE PoeT SAYS ~ -The cares,
^AT (NFesT The day, shall Fold
-Their i&nts, like -The ara&S,

A\^0 AS silently steal

z

A-- - — ^ '•-<

d

J>

f<IMDLY PHILOSOPHER

''^ih

Copyright, 1948. New York Herold Tribune Inc

„..- "^n

228

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

TH^ eoMMiT-r^c HAS Passed A^J APPRoPRi/^-riosj
FbRTHRtfc BiLLioM Dollars of VJHICH Two

HUhJDRGD MILLKDhJS Af^(^ e/^RAIA/^KfcD FoR,
^^^^QI^Tt use, SEVEN HUNOf^ED MILLIONS

WILL GO To The Reserve Fusjo, Fouf^ humof^eo

^/LLIO<klS W/LL Be SP<SNT- BEFoRE THE EMD oF

THt FISCAL Year. Twenty Rve ^/ll/oms w/ll.-

''29

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

231

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

232

THE UNSEEN AUDIENCE

'Tw/\S The might PtFoRe CHf=<ISTA^AS
/\/JD ALL -rUf^OUG'H THS House-
MOT A CReA7~U/^t WAS STIR^imG

A/OT <EV/<5M A MOUSG '''-L- Bt BACK:

IM EYACTLyC THf^eiE MIKJUTeS To T^LL

IM c^-^ oil- x^-v-.-...-^-^-- --

Ybu WHAT HAPPeMe-D MexT /aj fne

MEAMT^Aie- OUR AMMOUMCSf^ W/LL ADVISe
ALU^U LlTTCe BOVS AMD GIRLS WHAT
73 DO WH^M SUFFef^lM& WITH ^^WM.

ACID (MDI&eS-T(OM

f.

-^

. 1

A

IT

H

,*f-,

(?) /^V-g -y*^ y< ~rfZJ/3^^C^ /-rfC-

133

X

Fishing

There was never a series thus entitled, but, like dogs, fishing was the
subject of many of the artist's best drawings. The collection published
under the title To Hell with Fishing (1945) was by all odds the most
popular of Webster's cartoon books.

For years at least one and often two or three fishing pictures appeared
in the Timid Soul series toward the end of April, about the time Webby
usually spent a week or two casting for Atlantic salmon.

234

FISHING

<9 " '

o^/J^'l: \o

... , M. .U7-"',tV. /,i'

CAUC3HT ReO HANJDeO

v. i'\\

<g4>t 4-y.-tmo

i/mE. 'ii^C-

235

FISHING

236

FISHING

137

FISHING

238

FISHING

239

FISHING

~n-te P£MALTy OF-
H/VVIMC To U»ve UP To

Copr. 1926 (N. Y. World) PrM. Pub. Co.

f£»'^

4^

240

FISHING

-JfiSY'RE Thc eesT U&HTvJSt&HT
eNQUSH WAOeRS MADe.

You'll r^oTice" Thb FseT /^(^e:
RSiMFoRceo. The ef^o&ut=s
You vv/fc/AR oveR Ths/^ H/^ve-

SQUt^RG H^AOeD HOBS". Vou'll

F'MD THsn AioRe eFFfCfeNT /w

VA/AD/Me OV^R SLIPPeRY ROCKS.

A'^>rr/^M^ylv/eR.s•AftY, if i c>ak)
AFFORD IT"^ /^^ (boif^O To &eT You
TfYAT Two oorvJCc RoD

241

XI

Miscellany

242

MISCELLANY

TRAILER TINTYPES

243

MISCELLANY

^oVoixfHoPPeo IT Povv/n,eH? ihat's €XCELL£ttT\ i Don't CAeer \AiHo

T)|QTh€ CHoPPlf^G . it's OoVA/r-j ,Amd Thax'? /^(.(-ThAT iMTeReSTS Me ■

Tve eeei^ wAnTiM e that BLASTeoTftec <?€(^dv£o Fdjz /? lon&

IVHILC. THeCe HA5 eeern A BLIGHT THAT HAS PeACTlCALLV
OeSXecveO ^«-L- my CHe(2fZyT7?e£S Ar^P I^M SLAD YOU HAD

S^Nse eiNOuGH Tb hackt-his one Down without 6en-i<& Tdld.

WHILE Voo HAue VDOp; HAmD im VdO
|V\ie,HT CSo ouep. n
"The DpCHAf2D.
Chop Oo»a/<^'
lo o(a I'i Mofze
AmO Cot THfr

(jp — sTove

L6M6-rH

'^(o^^^l

-// /.

COPR. 1924 (N. Y WORLD). PRESS PUB. CO-

THE SPOIL SPORT

244

MISCELLANY

LIFE S DARKEST MOMENT

245

MISCELLANY

Heme's fi, PRe.-rTY GooD
STORY. I'l-l- ReAO IT-T&V&u

" WOULD VOU TAK^rHAT

yeuLOv^ TTe with fne PiNh:

SPOTS OOToF'XhE \AJIhiOOVJ

FOR. Aie r" " .

/^ /WAN/ WALKED /MTO
A FASH/ONASi-e- HAec=
OASH(FA^'S SHOP AND TTic
SAteSMAAJ f^USHe-D UP
-To VA/AIT" OaJ H'M

'^

' CSf^Ti^lNi-Y, SIR. PLeASeP To

TaKC A^/VT7^/^7& OuTOF-jHe

WIMDOW ANY" TTAAe, SIR"

AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT

246

MISCELLANY

WAS OOIMG To
OeT ■TttRouOH

-The w/NT'eR
wiTHour /s
CO£_D. eoT—

ARE YOU LISTENING?

141

MISCELLANY

TRAILER TINTYPES

248

MISCELLANY

LIFE S DARKEST MOMENT

24S)

MISCELLANY

BREAKING THE GOOD NEWS TO ANXIOUS PARENTS

The Boy who flipped traimo

(Copyniht. 191'. by H. T Wttmo

LIFE S DARKEST MOMENT

250

MISCELLANY

Th ASK AMD ReFose To

/<^MSWeR. I WILL. NOT Be A
PARTV To CO/mPRomisIW<5

ANY or OUR, oEMocRfirnc

Pf^lMCIPLeS

/ ^^HV-,,^,v.;\#s^^^"'^ ■

IF GEORGE HAD LIVED IN HOLLYWOOD

?51

XII

Lincoln's Birthday

Webster's most widely known drawings were probably the two which
follow. Lincoln was one of the artist's personal heroes, and when the
series scheduled for publication on February 12 was appropriate, it was
often the medium for a birthday tribute. Of the examples published here,
the first appeared in 1919 and the other in 1941.

252

LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY

HARDIN COUNTY — 1 809

233

LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY

Bibliography

OF H. T. WEBSTER'S CARTOONS IN BOOK FORM

Our Boyhood Thrills and Other Cartoons, New York, George H. Doran Co., 1915

Boys and Folks, New York, George H. Doran Co., 1917

Webster's Bridge, with William Johnston, New York, Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1924

Webster's Poker Book, with George F. Worts. Marc Connelly and R. F. Foster; foreword by George

Ade, New York, Simon and Schuster, 1926
The Timid Soul, introduction by Ring Lardner, New York, Simon and Schuster, 1931
The Culbertson-Webster Contract System, with Ely Cidbertson, New York, Frederick A. Stokes

Co., 1932
Webster Unabridged, introduction by Frank Sidlivan, New York, Robert M. McBride and Co., 1945
To Hell with Fishing, with Ed Zern; foreword by Corey Ford, New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts,

Inc., 1945
Who Dealt This Mess, with Philo Calhoun; foreword by Charles H. Goren, Garden City, Doubleday

and Co., Inc., 1948
How to Torture Your Husband, iv/;/! Caswell Adams, Philadelphia, The John C. Winston Co., 1948
How to Torture Your Wife, with Caswell Adams, Philadelphia, The John C. Winston Co., 1948
Life with Rover, with Philo Calhoim, New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1949

255

1:

fi 1^1

' 'i'M;

Date
Due Returned

Due
Due

Returned

iCV -. '30

- -ay> _'-;

■TTp-, .- f --^

flECS -80

- 9 Q B8E

HSI' 1 fl *M<;,

1

1 ' 1 ; i' ! '

'" /VJ. •/'■

The best of H T Webster afa
741 5W379bC2

3 lEbE D3^^^ ttse

fiNE AflTS

:mm!MMmmmmmM

1 '-■ I. ,5^ h' ^i-t-i-rl/iVt^

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